1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pressure relief pads and, more particularly, to a pressure relief pad operable for relieving the pressure of a ligature such as a bra or bathing suit strap on the nape of the neck.
2. Prior Art
Pads operable for relieving the pressure applied to skin of a person""s shoulder by a taut ligature such as a bra strap or the strap of a carrying case are well known in the art. Representative pressure relief pads in accordance with the prior art are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,795,399, 4,472,838, 3,229,694, 3,154,787, 2,485,720 and 1,546,067. All of the forgoing patents disclose a pad having a laminate composition; that is, the pads are not of unitary construction and may delaminate or otherwise separate upon continued use and exposure to an aggressive environment such as water.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,749 to Trent discloses a pressure relief-type of shoulder pad that has unitary construction. The pad comprises a flat, oblong sheet of a semi-rigid material such as plastic having an xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shaped cutout therein. The cutout provides a pair of directionally opposed prongs in the pad through which a strap may be passed and secured to the pad. The pad must be made from a relatively rigid plastic or else the strap, when taut, will bend the prongs and the strap will release unintentionally. The rigidity required of the material precludes facile conformation of the pad to a highly curved surface such as the nape of the neck. Further, all of the forgoing pressure relief pads are designed for placement upon the shoulder of the wearer. There is a need for a comfortable pressure relief pad for use with a ligature that is sufficiently flexible to allow contour-conforming placement behind the neck of a wearer and having unitary construction.
A pressure relief pad comprising or consisting essentially of a unitary, ellipsoidal, elastomeric foam body having a center, a length, a thickness, a substantially flat upper surface and a lower skin-contacting surface in opposition to the upper surface. The pad has at least four holes on the upper surface thereof. The holes extend downwardly through the thickness of the foam body. The holes are symmetrically spaced laterally along the upper surface with respect to the center of the pad. The pad consists of a single sheet of compressible elastomeric foam. The diameter of the holes is dimensioned to permit the passage of a ligature therethrough.